bed feet clutched at the cloth as he
buried his face against her leg. From behind her peered still another
child, its baby frog face working spasmodically in the beginnings of a
sob. Six or seven others were lying flat on the floor their bodies
trembling in terror.

Terrence took another look outside and what he saw sent him into
another stream of cursing. The Narakan Rifles were hurrying to the
scene of action. Down the middle of the street they came in a column
of fours with their drums and bugles blaring out a poor imitation of
_The Wearing of the Green_. Their standard bearer was running at the
head of the column beside Sergeant Major O'Shaughnessy.

"Oh, my God! He wouldn't...!"

"Lieutenant, please!"

"Teacher, will you shut up!" he roared as he leaped across the room
toward the front door. At the harsh tone of his voice, the whimpering
sounds in the room suddenly burst forth in full volume as the ten
pollywogs raised their hoarse voices into full throated croaks.

Terrence braced his body against the wall and held his gun ready as he
pulled open the door. In parade formation his men were moving up the
street and in a moment they would be away from the buildings'
protection and directly in the Rumi line of fire.

"O'Shaughnessy, you idiot!" he roared above the croaking from behind
him and the rattle of firing outside.

O'Shaughnessy came to a skidding halt almost directly in front of the
schoolhouse but his men kept on going, their faces set and determined.
O'Shaughnessy came to attention and snapped a salute.

"Yes, sir, Mr. Lieutenant."

"Halt! Damn it, HALT!" Terrence yelled at the column of greenbacks.
Their formation crumbled as they ran into each other, stepped on each
other's feet and pushed and shoved. But they halted.

"O'Shaughnessy! Break ranks ... take cover ... line of skirmishers!"
Terrence shouted and hit the dirt behind a sandbox in the schoolyard
as the Rumi resumed firing. There was a mad scramble among the
Narakans as they scattered behind walls and into buildings, moving
with an incredibly rapid jumping motion which they used when in a
hurry.

Terrence was so glad to see only one sprawled figure in the dust of
the street that he just lay there for a few seconds spitting dust
before he realized that he had forgotten to close the face visor of
his radiation clothing.

* * * * *

There was a slight clucking sound from beside him and when he turned
h